
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find specific topics is to use 
the index, refer to page238.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
7Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
23Voice command system
Controls
28Opening and closing
41Adjusting
53Transporting children safely
56Driving
66Everything under control
78Technology for comfort, convenience 
and safety
92Lamps
97Climate
104Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
114Things to remember when driving
119BMW M5 Engineering
Navigation
122Starting navigation system
124Destination entry
136Destination guidance
145What to do if …
Entertainment
148On/off and tone
152Radio
159Satellite radio
162CD player and CD changer
168AUX-In connection
169USB/audio interface
Communications
174Telephoning
189BMW Assist
Mobility
198Refueling
200Wheels and tires
206Under the hood
212Maintenance
214Replacing components
223Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
230Technical data
233Short commands of voice command 
system
238Everything from A to Z 

 5Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The individual vehicle
When purchasing your BMW, you have decided 
in favor of a model with individualized equip-
ment and features. This Owner's Manual 
describes all equipment and features offered 
for the BMW M5.
Please bear in mind that the manual may con-
tain information on accessories and equipment 
that you have not specified for your own vehicle. 
Sections describing options and special equip-
ment are marked by asterisks 
* to assist you in 
identifying possible differences between the 
descriptions in this manual and your own vehi-
cle's equipment.
If equipment in your BMW is not described in 
this Owner's Manual, please refer to the accom-
panying Supplementary Owner's Manuals.
Editorial notice
BMW pursues a policy of continuous, ongoing 
development that is conceived to ensure that 
our vehicles continue to embody the highest 
quality and safety standards combined with 
advanced, state-of-the-art technology. For this 
r e a s o n ,  i t  i s  p o s s i b l e  t h a t  t h e  f e a t u r e s  d e s c r i b e d  
in this Owner's Manual could differ from those 
on your vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repairs
Advanced technology, e.g. the use of 
modern materials and high-performance 
electronics, requires specially adapted mainte-
nance and repair methods. Therefore, have cor-
responding work on your BMW performed only 
by your BMW center or a workshop that works 
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If this work is 
not carried out properly, there is a danger of 
subsequent damage and related safety haz-
ards.< 

 7Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication 
thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following warran-
ties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited 
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is 
listed in the Service and Warranty Information 
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and 
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Reporting safety defects
For US customers
The following applies only to vehicles owned 
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect 
which could cause a crash or could cause injury 
or death, you should immediately inform the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of North 
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New 
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone 1-800-831-
1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may 
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety 
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order 
a recall and remedy campaign. However, 
NHTSA cannot become involved in individual 
problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of 
North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle 
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236 
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to 
http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Adminis-
trator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. You can also obtain 
other information about motor vehicle safety 
from http://www.safercar.gov
For Canadian customers
Canadian customers who wish to report a 
safety-related defect to Transport Canada, 
Defect Investigations and Recalls, may call 
1-800-333-0510 toll-free from anywhere in 
Canada or 1-613-993-9851 from the Ottawa 
region and from other countries, or contact 
Transport Canada by mail at: Transport 
Canada, ASFAD, Place de Ville, Tower C, 
330 Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0N5.
You can also obtain other information about 
motor vehicle safety from http://www.tc.gc.ca 

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
7Shift paddles61
8Buttons on steering wheel
9Instrument cluster12
12Ignition lock56
13Horn, entire surface16Releasing hood206
Mobile phone
*174:
>Press: accepting and ending 
call, starting dialing
* for 
selected phone number and 
redialing if no phone number is 
selected
>Press and hold: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice 
command system
* 23
Changing radio station152
Selecting music track163
Scrolling in phone book and in 
lists with stored phone numbers
MDrive, call up individual 
settings50
Individually programmable50 
10
Windshield wipers63
Rain sensor63
11Starting/stopping engine and 
Switching ignition on/off 56
14
Steering wheel heater
*49
Steering wheel adjustment49
15
Cruise control65
17Opening luggage compartment 
lid33
18
Head-Up Display
*89
19
Parking lamps92
Low beams92
Daytime running lamps
*93
Automatic headlamp control92
 
Daytime running lamps*93
Adaptive Head Light
*94
High-beam assistant
*94
20
Instrument lighting96 

At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in 
different combinations and colors.
Some lamps are tested for proper function by 
briefly lighting up during starting of the engine 
or when the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the bottom edge of the Con-
trol Display explain the meaning of the dis-
played indicator and warning lamps.
Additional information, e.g. on the cause of a 
malfunction and on the corresponding need to 
take action can be displayed via the Check Con-
trol, refer to page71.In urgent cases, this information will be shown 
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps signal particular 
functions:
Parking lamps/low beams92
High beams/headlamp flasher94
Handbrake applied58
Handbrake applied for Canadian 
models
Lamp flashes:
DSC controls the drive and braking 
forces for maintaining vehicle 
stability80
MDrive51
M Dynamic Mode80
Engine malfunction with deteriorating 
emissions levels213
Engine malfunction with deteriorating 
emissions levels for Canadian 
models213 

At a glance
 15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for hands-free mode for 
telephone
*
and for voice command system*23
2Reading lamps96
3SOS: initiating
 an emergency request223
4Glass sunroof
*, electric38
5Interior lamps96
6Passenger airbag status lamp88
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9Central locking system32
10Automatic climate control97
11Changing
>radio station148
>track148
12Ejecting
>navigation DVD
*148
>audio CD148
13Drive for navigation system DVD with 
Professional
* navigation system122
14Programmable memory/direct selection 
buttons21
15Drive for audio CDs14816Switching Entertainment sound output 
on/off and adjusting volume148
18Controller16
Turn, press or move horizontally in four 
directions
19Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Drivelogic of Sequential Manual 
Transmission61
21EDC Electronic Damper Control for 
Sequential Manual Transmission82
22DSC OFF Dynamic Stability Control for 
Sequential Manual Transmission81
23POWER M Engine Dynamic Control for 
Sequential Manual Transmission59
24EDC Electronic Damper Control for manual 
transmission
*82
25MDM
>M Dynamic Mode for manual 
transmission80
>Switching DSC on and off in manual 
transmission81 Temperature setting, left/right98 
Automatic air distribution and 
volume98 
Cooling function100
AUC Automatic recirculated-air 
control/recirculated-air mode100
Maximum cooling100 
Air volume99 
Defrosting windows and removing 
condensation99 
Rear window defroster97 
17
Heated seats46
Active seat ventilation
*47
Adjusting active backrest 
width
*43
Flat Tire Monitor
*83
PDC Park Distance Control
*78
Opening luggage compartment 
lid
*33 

iDrive
16
iDrive
iDrive combines the functions of a large number 
of switches. This allows these functions to be 
operated from a central position. The following 
section provides an introduction to basic menu navigation. The control of the individual func-
tions is described in connection with the rele-
vant equipment.
Controls
1Control Display
2 button
Opening start menu
3Controller
With the controller you can select menu 
items and make settings:
>move in four directions, arrows4
>turn, arrow5
>press, arrow6
To avoid posing an unnecessary hazard 
due to inattention, both to your own vehi-
cle's occupants and to other road users: never 
attempt to use the controls or make entries 
unless traffic and road conditions allow.< 

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or TeleService*
Navigation or onboard information
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying 
the average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>AUX-In connection
>USB/audio interface
*
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Seat heater distribution
*
>Parked car operation
 menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for MDrive, or 
for the central locking system
>Display of maintenance intervals and dead-
lines for legally mandated inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
From radio readiness, refer to page56, the fol-
lowing message is shown on the Control Dis-
play:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
This displays the start menu.
The message is automatically hidden after 
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
You can call up all the functions of iDrive using 
five menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the   button.
To open the start menu from the   menu:
Press the   button twice.